2012 Kennedy Center Honors

2012 Kennedy Center Honors

A touching moment as comedian Ray Romano got all choked up paying tribute to his mentor David Letterman.

"I don't want to get schmaltzy. I don't want to end, because I’m not good at that, and I know you’re not good. My father passed away and I never told him I love him. Dave, I know you are only 65, you look good, and the hearts working, but I ain’t taking any chances. I love you David Letterman!” said Romano.

The very private Letterman, made a rare appearance with his wife, Regina, at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington on Sunday night.

“I’m not really committed to being here. I just said I’d walk through and get a look at the place, and you never know after that," Letterman joked.

Alec Baldwin, Jimmy Kimmel, and Tina Fey were also on hand to salute Letterman.

“For David Letterman, this is also, unquestionably, the single worst night of his life," Kimmel said.

“David Letterman, you are an American treasure, like the Grand Canyon, or the Chicago Skyline, or the top two Kardashians,” Fey joked.

At one point, the star of Everybody Loves Raymond turned his humor on the president.

“Do you quit when you are down 1 to 0 in the world series? No, you keep going. Do you quit when you are down 1 to nothing in the debates? No, no!” said Romano.

“It 's turned out to be one of the highs of my life,” said Honoree Dustin Hoffman.

Hoffman was thrilled to sit next to First Lady Michelle Obama, who was glowing in a gold Michael Kors gown.